


you get to exhale now

by hopelessembers



Category: Andi Mack (TV)
Genre: Fluff, I can't stop writing about these two, M/M, and love simon, obviously inspired by the bench scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-27
Updated: 2019-07-27
Packaged: 2020-07-23 00:02:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20000668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hopelessembers/pseuds/hopelessembers
Summary: And the thing was, TJ couldn’t wipe the smile off his face after the night he’d just had. His mom looked rightfully confused. She patted the space beside her on the couch and TJ gave in, sitting himself down and placing his hands atop his knees in an attempt to ground himself. This was happening.orTJ comes home after the party and comes out to his mom.





	you get to exhale now

**Author's Note:**

> here's another fic. enjoy.
> 
> title from love, simon. that scene got to us all. and TJ really reminded me of that in the bench scene.

TJ shut the front door behind him firmly and leant back against the hard surface, needing a moment to gather his thoughts. His heart hadn’t stopped racing since he’d first seen Cyrus at the party and it wasn’t about to calm down any time soon.

TJ had walked into that party with Kira beside him, feeling uncomfortable and, ultimately, sick of her attitude. Every day they’d hung out she’d gotten ruder and snider and TJ was glad he finally found an excuse to get rid of her.

And then Cyrus. _Cyrus._

So much for slowing his heart rate.

TJ found it hard to believe it’d actually happened. But he could still feel the warmth of Cyrus’ hand intertwined in his and he had a text in his phone from Cyrus promising to meet up tomorrow, so there was no denying it. He had told Cyrus how he felt. And he’d felt the same way.

TJ had to steel himself to step away from the support of the door as he stepped into his living room. The first thing he saw was his mother curled up on the couch, a paperback in her hand and her glasses perched carefully on her nose. She looked up when she heard TJ come in.

“Hi baby, how was the party?” She asked, taking her glasses off and placing them on the side table with her book.

“I-yeah, good! It was good,” TJ stuttered, his head still foggy from the events of the night. His mother furrowed her dark eyebrows, worried.

“Are you finally going to tell me what’s been going on with you lately?”

TJ sighed. He’d known this conversation was coming. For the past couple of weeks he’s been off, stalking around the house in a somber mood and listening to sad indie music in his room. His mom hadn’t pushed it, but he knew she’d be expecting an explanation.

And the thing was, TJ couldn’t wipe the smile off his face after the night he’d just had. His mom looked rightfully confused. She patted the space beside her on the couch and TJ gave in, sitting himself down and placing his hands atop his knees in an attempt to ground himself. This was happening.

“I- do you know Cyrus?”

TJ’s mom grinned, a chuckle escaping her lips. She rolled her eyes at him playfully. “ _Do I know Cyrus?_ Of course I know Cyrus! Such a cute kid. Does all this have something to do with him?”

TJ nodded, swallowing in an attempt to get the words out that refused to leave his mouth. As ecstatic as he was about the events of the party, telling his mom about everything leading up to it was big. And he wasn’t quite sure the right way to do it.

“Yeah, it does. We were gonna do a joint costume for the school Costume Day and- I mean, I kinda bailed on him. And he was left without a partner for the costume.”

TJ’s mom frowned slightly, and he could tell she wasn’t sure how to process this information. She was always so careful not to push him away, especially when he was so nervous.

“Okay… and why did you do that?”

TJ let out a huff, rubbing his temples in hopes of forgetting the entire thing. He’d wished it’d never happened, and he hated recalling that day. “This girl from school, she… she made me feel bad for wanting to do a costume with Cyrus. For wanting to do a costume with _a boy_.”

TJ couldn’t make himself look at his mom, but he heard her breathe out a soft, “Oh.”

“So I didn’t go through with it, and I started to hang out with her a lot. And Cyrus was avoiding me because they had a history and he didn’t think she was a great person,” TJ blew out a puff of air, “turns out, he was right.”

His mom reached forward to rub up and down his back, soothing him like she would when he was younger. “Sometimes it’s hard for us to notice these things when we’re directly involved. Don’t blame yourself, honey.”

TJ sighed. “I know. It’s just… all this time not being around Cyrus, it really took a toll on me, you know? He’s one of my best friends. That’s why I’ve been so mopey lately.”

TJ’s mom scoffed. “Mopey. That’s one word for it.”

TJ rolled his eyes and she gestured for him to continue. Here goes nothing.

“Well these past few days we kind of reconciled, I guess. And tonight Kira did some really shitty things-“

“-Language, please. Mind your poor old mother’s heart.”

“Sorry. Anyway, she said some really horrible stuff and told me I had to pick, either her or Cyrus. And…”

“You picked Cyrus,” his mom surmised. She had a soft, understanding smile on her face that gave him the courage to continue talking. TJ coughed.

“Yeah. I did.”

TJ’s mom sat forward on the couch, scooting closer to him and placing her arm around his shoulders. It was getting harder for her to do it now that he was getting taller, but she always tried nevertheless. It comforted TJ in the same way it did when he was a kid.

“What else happened, sweetheart?”

“Then tonight we talked. About everything. And…” TJ was reluctant to recount this part. It was more telling than any of the actual romantic stuff they had done.

“And?” His mother prompted, her expression eager. TJ shook his head, amused at her enthusiasm.

“And, I told him my real name. He asked me, and I just told him.”

His mom reeled back abruptly, shock evident on her face. She clearly hadn’t been expecting that.

“You did _what?_ TJ you’ve never told _anyone_ your real name before. Ever!”

TJ breathed out a soft laugh. “Yeah, I know. But I felt like I could trust him. More than I’ve ever trusted anyone, mom.”

He looked at her intensely, his eyes shining with tears threatening to run down his cheeks, begging her to understand, to accept him, to realize the significance of this.

She did.

“Oh, baby,” His mom said, pulling his head to her chest in an embrace. TJ squeezed his eyes shut, allowing the unshed tears to fall onto her sweater as he held onto his mom tightly, scared to let go. She kissed the top of his head before pulling back, wiping away the tears on his face with her thumb. TJ somehow managed to choke out the rest of his story.

“I told him how I felt. That I- that I like him. And he told me he liked me too and we held hands and- and I told him that I’m like him. That I’m gay.”

TJ realized his mom was crying too, but she was smiling as well, and she didn’t look sad. She looked… hopeful, proud. She reached down to grasp his hand in both of hers.  


“I’m so happy for you, my boy. _So_ freaking happy,” She laughed, her words sounding watery as she ran her fingers through his fallen bangs. Now TJ definitely couldn’t wipe the smile off his face.

“Yeah?”

“ _Yeah._ I can't lie, I… I sort of guessed this was coming. Just the way you’d talk about him, the way you would watch him whenever he’d come over. I knew it was more than just friendship to you.”

TJ felt his cheeks warm alarmingly. He wasn’t aware he was being so obvious, obvious enough that his _mom_ noticed. God. She rolled her eyes at his apparent dismay.

“Oh, I only noticed because I’m your mom,” She dismissed him, waving a hand, “And I didn’t want to push you to tell me, or to figure it all out. But I’m so proud of you, okay? And I love you so much. So much, TJ.”

Then came the tears again. She pulled him into another tight hug and TJ melted into the comfort of his mom’s familiar embrace. Deep down he’d known she would be fine with his sexuality, with his feelings for another boy. But relief still seeped into his bones upon hearing her confirm it and hearing her say she loved him.

“Look at us! A couple of blubbering, pathetic messes, my god,” His mom said when she let him go, reaching over to grab some tissues and hand some to TJ too. He laughed.  
  
“Yeah, we really are.”

“I’m just glad you’re happy, baby,” She said, her smile unwavering, “And this world’s going to be cruel to you. But I’ll always be here for you when need me, okay? As for right now, you’re only fourteen, and you have your first boyfriend. Enjoy it, okay honey?”

TJ nodded, his brain clouding over slightly at the word _boyfriend_ , and returned his mom’s delighted smile.

“Cyrus is, uh… he’s actually coming over tomorrow, if that’s alright? So we can like, talk, and figure things out.”

His mom’s grin turned devious, and she wiggled her eyebrows at him. “Oh yeah? Sounds good to me. I can’t wait to meet Cyrus again as my son’s official _boyfriend_ ,” She said, taunting him openly. TJ huffed, but he was still smiling.

“ _Mom_ ,” he whined, hopping off the couch and heading for the stairs. He heard his mom laugh behind him.

“Oh, and TJ?” She called. He stuck his head back in the door to meet her eyes, glimmering knowingly. “When Cyrus comes over tomorrow, make sure to leave your door open!” She sing-songed, knowing it would get on his nerves. TJ felt this whole body flush.

“Mom, oh my god!” He complained, and he could hear her joyous laughter following him all the way to his bedroom. When he got inside and collapsed on his bed, TJ felt like his head was still spinning. He’d done it. He’d told the boy he’d like about his feelings for him. He’d gotten himself a boyfriend out of it. _He’d come out to his mom_. TJ closed his eyes, a content grin refusing to leave his face.

He exhaled.


End file.
